Casting plant.



0. W.v SHERMAN. CASTING PLANT. APPLICATION FILED JAI. 14.1905.

938,904. 0 v .Paten'td Nov 2,1909.

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0. W. SHERMAN. CASTING PLANT. nruornox FILED L14. 1005.

Patented Nov. 2, 1909.

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CASTING PLANT. Y APPLIOATIOI IILBI? JAN-14, 1905.

938,904. I Patented Nov.2,1909.

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c. w. SHERMAN. CASTING PLANT. APPLICATION FILED JAiI'. 14. 1905.

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CLIFTON W. SHERMAN OF BELLEVUE, PENNSYLVANIA.

onsrrne PLANT.

Specification oi Letters Patent Patented Nov. 2., 199%.

Application filed January 14, 1905. Serial No. 241,092.

w/a-onaii may concern: ..-e it known that I, CLIFTON W. SHERMAN, timesor the United States, residing at devue, in the county of Allegheny andState of Pennsylvania, have invented new and 1.. lul Improvements inCasting Plants, of which the following is a specification:

The object of my invention is to provide ew and improved casting-plant,and the of halted States Letters Patent No. 776,696 wanted to me onDecember 6th, 1904;. In patent I have described and shown a manufactureof chilled cast iron car-wheels. in the present invention I have alsoillusated a casting-plant for the manufacture r (similar canwheels, butmy invention is" 2. limited to a casting-plant for making car-wheelsonly, for, with certain changes coming within the scope of my invention,other castings may be made. i

in the accompanying drawings which illus (rate applicatitms of myinvention, Figure 1,

a plan view of a plant embodying my invenlimi; igs. 2, 3 and t,elevational views showing different portions of the plant; Fig. 3, abroken plan of platform or carrier; igv (3, an elevational view ofplatform showing flasks thereon and driving-mechan ism; Fig. 7, a partelevational and a part struction of platform' or carrier; Fig. 8, adetail view of a portion of the; sand-conveyer, sand-screen, andsand-mixing apparatus; Fig. 9, a detail view taken at right angles tothe view of Fig. 6; Fig. 10, :1 diagnnmatic view showing a modifiedmethod of ramming the sand in the cope and drag portions of the flask;Fig. 11, a detail View of a, portion of the mechanism employed in themoditi ed form of Fig. 10; and Fig. 12, detail view ordriving-mechanism.

Referringto the drawings, 1', l, and l represent three cupolas connectedup with a reservoir-ladle 2, .which latter is arranged to discharge themolten metal into a pouring ladle Pouring-ladle 3, is suspended from anoverhead traveling carriage 4t, mounted on a travelingcrane 5. Crane 5,is mounted on ways 6. i

s illustrated and as preferred I employ a circular-track 7, on which ismounted a 'reling annular ring platform or carrier Carried on platform 8is a series of ing-plant especially designed for the v gaging anddisengaging members 12, cable .13, sheaves 14.. The carriage 1s mountednonal view showing a flask and the con-- l l r ant inventionparticularly relates to that F inventions shown and described inequipments or car-wheel flasks 9. The term ,equipment" as. used hereinwill include the several parts etc ear-wheel-flask, that is to say, thecope, chiller, drag and botton'i-board, and in the drawings 1 haverespectively designated these parts as a, b, c and d.

The form of platform or carrier preterably employed is clearly shown byFigs. 5, fi'and 7 and the driving-mechanism for moving the platformparticularly shown by Figs. (3 and 12. This driving-mechanism which maybe located at any suitable pointor points along the track comprises amotor 10, a carriage 11 having automatically en and runs on rails 16.The mechanism is so arranged that the forward or carrier-movmg travel ofthe carriage ,1s limlted to about 'the diameter of an equipment orflask, and

the backward travel is the same distance.

- For the purposes of causing this reciprocating movement of thecarriage on the rails and causing;- the said engaging anddisengaging-members to automatically engage and disengage, .say an axle17 on the ear rier. just at the proper times, I employ, in addition tothe parts heretofore, mentioned, two drums 10 and 10, upon which thecable winds, a movable clutch ll, gearmcchanism l2; pivoted andconnected levers 13" and 13, joined by a connecting-rod 14 Each. lever13 and 13 is provided with an adjustablestop 15*. Connecting-rod .14extends beyond the lever 13 and joins a bell-crank 16. Joined tobell-crank 16 is a pivoted weighted lever 17.

T he position of the parts as shown by Fig. 12 is the position theyassume while the carriage 11 is in the position shown by 'Fig'. (3. Whenthe carriage strikes the stop 15 of lever 13, the connecting-rod,bellcrank' and weighted lever 17*, are moved thereby causing theclutch-meclwnism to be disengaged from the drum 10 and thus stopping thecarrier-moving travel of the carriage. v

As shown by the drawings pouring-ladle 3, is arranged to be moveddirectly over and across the track and as the crane 5 is arranged totravel on ways 6, it will be noted that ladle 3, may be readily movedinto the desired position for pouring metal into a no flask carried onthe platform or carrier.

For the purposes of placing the equipments on and removing the same fromthe carrier lemp'loy a crane 18 mounted and adapted to run on a track 19which latter extends across the track as shown by Fig. -1. On the craneis a carriage 19".

In describing my, method of manufacturing carwheels, the plantillustrated, and the difi erent mechanisms employed I shall follow oneequipment or flash, and for this purpose, it is assumed that theequipments are in position upon the carrier and the plant in operation.

At some convenient point along the track as at X, a pattern is placedwithin the equipment by an operator. A continued movement of thecarricrwith the equipment thereon will bring the equipment under thesand supply spout 20,'fron1 which sand is j fed to the drag. Spout 20,as well as several other sand-supply spouts 21, and 22, communicateswith a sand=handling and conveying system comprising portions 23,

24, each provided with a reciprocating sandeonveyer 25, a sand-elevator26, a hopper 27 also provided with a reciprocating mechanism 25, ascreenbig-mechanism :28 and a mixer 29. This system of handling andconveying the sand permits the sand to be continuously worked andconveyed from the hopper 27, into which the sand falls during theoperation of stripping, which will .be hereinafter fully described, tothe sand delivery spouts 20, 21 and Attention is called to the fact thatthe means shown provide for mechanical means for passing the sand fromhopper 27, into a screening apparatus 28, whereby the sand'is thoroughly screened, passing the sand from the screen into a mixer 29,thence elevating the sand through elevator 26 and passing it through thercciprocatin conveyors located in portions 23 and 52-1 ol thesystem. Thesct eening and mixing apparatus are particularly shown by Figs. and 9. i

Sand having been supplied to the dragpart, the equipment is moved undera rammingmechanism or press 30. As illustrated the ramminguneclianismcomprises a cylini der into which fluid is supplied from some 1 suitablesource of sulfplv. not shown. The turned i 1t Its P ramming-meehanism issupported directly over the track, carrier and equipment by means of ahousing or casting 351, which straddles the track, etc. The sand havingbeen properly rammed in the drag-part, and the bottom-board placed inposition, the equipment then passes under a hoisting apparatus 32, bywhich the equipment is raised from the carrier, turned over to bring thecope-part uppermost and replaced uponthe carrier.. Sand is supplied tothe cope-part of the equipment by spout 2t, and the copesand then rammedby a ramming mechan ism, or press Rummingmechanism 33, is similar to themechanism 30, above described. Spouts 22, are provided for thepurpose'of supplying additional sand to 0th parts of the flask, if foundnecessary. If this additional sand is supplied it is rammed. by anoperator.

The sand being thoroughly packed in the flask by the ramming machinesthe next step in the operation of making a wheel is the withdrawal ofthe pattern. For the purpose of withdrawing a pattern or patterns Ipreferably provide a hoisting apparatus 34: suspended from an overheadtrolley 35. If found desirable two or more patterns may be removed fromthe flasks at about the same time, this may be accomplished by employing two or more hoisting apparatus as 34, mounted to T111. on differentsupporting rails 36. The location of rails or supports 36 is clearlyshown by Fig. 1. In Fig. 1 I have sljown three rails andcopc-liftingappar tus, and it will be seen that three different copesmay be simultaneously lifted from the carrier conveyed along for a.distance in line with the line of travel of the carrier and then carriedout-0t the path of said travel, and, after the withdrawal of theatterns, the copes are brought. back and eposited upon the threedrag-portions of the three flasks.

The sand in the flask having now been thoroughly packed and the patternremoved, molten metal is introduced to the flask by means of thepouringdadle, above described. The time required for the flaskcontaining the metal to travel to the point where the casting isremoved, is sufficient to permit the mctal to solidify and to assumeacondition ready for the shaking-out steps of the method of manufacture.of carrying out the shaking-out steps, I employ a flask-hoisting orliftingqnechain ism 37, having 'a hail 38; which latter is adapted to beconnected with lugs on the flash. This v necl'iai'iism is suspended fromtrolley 39fadapted to run on. a. track 0, or a single rail. Flaskhoisting-apparatus 3? is designed to lift the flask, with the exceptionof the bottom board from the carrier and the casting and then. after thetiasl: has been on a vacant )ace on the carrier. To remove the castingrom the carrier after the flask has been raised therefrom I preferablyon:- ploy a swinging crane it. provided with a casting-hoistingapparatus 42. Apparatus -2, comprises a pair of gripping-tongs 43. lnthe drawings I have shown two similar cranes 41 and casting-hoistingapparatus; only one crane and one hoisting-apparatus however, arenecessary, the other is provided for emergency purposes. or for thepurpose of extending-the time between the pouring of the metal and theoperation of stripping the wheel, if necessary.

Crane at with the casting is dapted to For the purposes lit) ceasesswing over and deposit the pasting in a pitting-room 44 having a serlesofannealmg pits as shown by Fig. 1.

After the casting has been removed from the carrier the bottom-board cl,is lifted and placed ahead in a vertical position; the shakingout steps,and the mechanisms employed therefor are particularly shown by Fig. 4.While the flask is being raised from the carrier and casting the sandfalls down .over the sides ofthe carrier through the track into thehopper located below said track. this is also the case during the operation of lifting the casting from the carrier. Lifting the bottonrboardfrom the carrier causes what sand is left to fall into the hopper. Thesandreceived into the hop er is conveyed therefrom, screened, mine andconveyed to the sand-dclivery-spouts above referred to.

' Instead of supplying the sand to the drag and cope. as above describedwhile on the carrier and ramming or pressing the sand by causing theequipments while on the carmm to be brought under the machlnes; theconstruction shown by the modified form of Figs. and 11 may be employed.In this construction I have shown means for separately lifting the dragand cope-parts and carrying said parts under sand, supply .means andramming-machines or presses located a short distance fronrthe track. Asillustrated by Figs. 10 and 11, I employ two supports and 45 whichextend for a distance in line with the carrier then extend outwardlytherefrom and return over the middle of the carrier. On the support 45',is a trolley 46, a hoisting-device 47 having a hail 48; and similarmeans 46, 47 and 48 are carried on support 45. ,Thes'emeans permit bothparts of the flask, z'qc. the drag and copeqiarts to be separatelyliftedfrom the carrier and separately conveyed to press Sand is suppliedto the;

ing-machines 49. respective parts of the flaskthrough sanddeliveryspouts 20 and 21 which communicate with a portion 24 of thesand-handling system. as hna'ctofore described. a

After the parts have been set on the.

presses 4!). part 50 is brought into a vertical position. The drag orcope-part is then raised and the sand thoroughly pressed.

\Yhat I claim is 1. In a casting plant, the combination of an endlessway, a carrier traveling thereon, a series of flasks on said carrier,successive mechanisms as follows arranged adjacent to the way and acting.in the order named for efl' ecting a complete molding and castingoperation and returning the flasks and sand to the starting point in acycle of mechanical operations, consisting of a mold-formingstation,n'n-achanism for raising a flask from the carrier, inverting the flaskand replacing it on the carrier, lifting mechanism for the flask forpermitting the withdrawal of the pattern, pouring mechanism, mechanismfor separating the flask and casting. replacing the flask on thecarrier, and removing the casting, mechanism fox-returning the sand tothe mold-forming-station, said sand-returning-mechanism including ascreen and mixer, mechanism for removing flasks from the carrier andreplacing others thereon, and mechanism, separate and independent of thecarrier comprising reciprocating means for moving the carrierintermittently, thereby bringing the flasks in, succession opposite theseveral mechanisms named.

2. In a casting plant, the combination of an endless way, a carriertraveling thereon, a series of flasks on said carrier, successivemechanisms as follows arranged adjacent to the way and acting in theorder named for effecting a complete molding and casting operation andreturning the flasks to the starting point in a cycle of mechanicaloperations, consisting of a mold-forming-statioii. mechanism for raisinga flask from the carrier, inverting the flask and replacing it on thecarrier, lifting mechanism for the flask tern, pouring mechanism,mechanism for the flask on the carrier and removing the casting,mechanism for removingflasks from the carrier and placing othersthereon, and mechanism comprising reciprocating means arranged to engagethe carrier for moving the carrier intermittently, thereby bringing theflasks in succession opposite the several mechanisms named.

3. In a'casting plant, the con'ibination of an endless way, a carriertraveling thereon. a series of flasks on said carrier, interrupted atone point'by a vacant space on the carrier, said flasks each comprisinga cope and a drag, successive mechanisms as follows arranged adjacent tothe way and acting in the ordernamed for effecting a complete mold- "ingand casting operation and returning the flasks and sand to the startingpoint in a cycle of mechanical operations, consisting of amoldforming-station, mechanism for raising a flask from the carrier,inverting the mold-forming-station, said sand-returning mechanismincluding a screen and mixer, and mechanism comprising reciprocatingmeans arranged to engage the carrier for moving the carrierintermittently, thereby bringing the flasks in succession opposite theseveral mechanisms named.

4. In a casting-plant, the combination for permitting the Withdrawalofthe pat separating the flask and casting, replacing flask and replacingit on the carrier, lifting with an vmIless-h'zick, of a currivr adaptedmounted on the mil-Pier, sand-supply spouts l arranged in fwd sand tothe flasks :1 nul whine for ramming the sand in the (ling-part 3 3 inpresence of two subscribing WIUXGSSQS. 4 in the Cope part (if thn flaska flask-hoisting j 0f thv flask. a machinev for rannning the sandapparatus ln(-ated between the ruinn'iing muchines and means forintermittently;

moving the. carrier and the flask to cause some of the flasks to besimultaneously and respectively stopped under the said sundsupplyspouts, rammingmachines and flask hoisting apparatus, substantially assin. forth.

In testimony i whereof I affix my signature CLIFTON W. SHERMZfi.

Wii'nesses:

W. G. DQQLI'HLE, Mmcmm Ht nnRs.

